So my book arrived today and I've glanced through it. I've noticed something that I've seen in other old and new Lithuanian knitting books, and at the tourist markets. Although almost all of the old Lithuanian mittens and socks that I've seen in museums and photos - even in this new book - have rounded tips and toes, the charts show the tip/toe coming to a point like Scandinavian mittens. All of the mittens in the tourist market in Vilnius and those made by contemporary folk artists also have pointed tips.
So what's going on here? It's like they've imagined a fake historical folk art.... This trend seems to have started in the 1930s. Weird, huh? I will write more about this as I begin to read and translate the text in the new book. At any rate, the book is a fantastic primary source about Antanas Tamošaitis, even if it's questionable as a source about the folk knitting. So, I guess it's a primary source about 20th century folk knitting, but a secondary source about 18th and 19th century knitting. :-)
Archives
Monday, August 31, 2009
Saturday, August 29, 2009
OK, this is so simple, you will laugh. I did when I thought of it.
The other day I was walking home from the coffee shop with my mother and she said, "On Ravelry I saw a discussion about making bobbles without turning. It was a technique by someone Zimmerman."
"That must be using the 'knitting backwards' technique," I said. "It is probably a technique from Elizabeth Zimmermann."
We both made a face because we hate knitting backwards, even if it's only a few stitches. We hate knitting backwards even more than we hate turning and purling 3 or 5 sts for a bobble.
"I think it was Kathy Zimmerman," Mom said, "That designer we love who does all of the fabulous cable sweaters in the magazines."
"Maybe it wasn't knitting backwards, then," I said. "I wonder how else you could make a bobble without turning."
We kept walking and suddenly I said, "What about an i-cord bobble? Instead of turning, you slip the sts back to the left needle, and pull the yarn across the back and add a few rows like i-cord, then you decrease like a regular bobble. I wonder if that would work."
When we got home, my mother made this swatch:
Obviously it worked! Here are the instructions to make an i-cord bobble:
1. Decide where you want the bobble in your working. K1, p1, k1, p1, k1 into that stitch, making 5 sts.
2. * Slip the 5 sts onto the left needle, draw the working yarn across the back, and k5. For a puffier bobble, repeat from * 2 more times.
3. Sl2 separately knitwise, k3tog, p2sso. You are back to 1 st.
That's it. Easy, huh? Now I want to make a project with bobbles!
This works with any size bobble, I just used 5 sts and 3 rows as an example.
The other day I was walking home from the coffee shop with my mother and she said, "On Ravelry I saw a discussion about making bobbles without turning. It was a technique by someone Zimmerman."
"That must be using the 'knitting backwards' technique," I said. "It is probably a technique from Elizabeth Zimmermann."
We both made a face because we hate knitting backwards, even if it's only a few stitches. We hate knitting backwards even more than we hate turning and purling 3 or 5 sts for a bobble.
"I think it was Kathy Zimmerman," Mom said, "That designer we love who does all of the fabulous cable sweaters in the magazines."
"Maybe it wasn't knitting backwards, then," I said. "I wonder how else you could make a bobble without turning."
We kept walking and suddenly I said, "What about an i-cord bobble? Instead of turning, you slip the sts back to the left needle, and pull the yarn across the back and add a few rows like i-cord, then you decrease like a regular bobble. I wonder if that would work."
When we got home, my mother made this swatch:
Obviously it worked! Here are the instructions to make an i-cord bobble:
1. Decide where you want the bobble in your working. K1, p1, k1, p1, k1 into that stitch, making 5 sts.
2. * Slip the 5 sts onto the left needle, draw the working yarn across the back, and k5. For a puffier bobble, repeat from * 2 more times.
3. Sl2 separately knitwise, k3tog, p2sso. You are back to 1 st.
That's it. Easy, huh? Now I want to make a project with bobbles!
This works with any size bobble, I just used 5 sts and 3 rows as an example.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
The book is by Antanas Tamošaitis, the husband of Anastazija Tamošaitienė, the Elizabeth Zimmerman of Lithuania. They both wrote books about knitting in the 1930s. I have a copy of Anastazia's book, simply called Mezgimas (Knitting), but I had not been able to find a copy of Antanas's for sale - until today! Now it is mine, and it should be in my hands within a week. This is so cool because not only am I writing a book about Lithuanian knitting, but I am also working on an article about the Tamošaičiai (the Lithuanian plural) for Piecework.
Just goes to show that stumbling around on the web is useful. The description of this book said "1932 rare LITHUANIAN FOLK TEXTILE BOOK aprons weaving." But I looked at in anyway. In the details it said:
RARE PRE-WW2 LITHUANIAN FOLK ART APPLIED TEXTILE BOOK
SODZIAUS MENAS
MEZGIMO - NERIMO RASTAI
[VILLAGE ART: KNITTING & CROCHETING COLLECTION]
By Antanas Tamosaitis
PRINTED IN LITHUANIA 1931
TEXT IN LITHUANIAN
78 Pages - Very Large Softcover
48 FULL PAGE PATTERNS WITH 29 PAGES OF INTRODUCTORY TEXT AND PHOTOS
THE ENTIRE BOOK COVERS TRADITIONAL LITHUANIAN KNITTED & CROCHETED GLOVES, MITTENS AND SOCKS!
An important work on Lithuanian folk gloves. Interesting item because it was published when these items were still in widespread use! Edited by a well known expert in the field of Lithuanian Folk textiles.
CONDITION: Good, bit of edge wear to cover but overall great shape for 75 year old softcover.
So, this day just got immensely better. Plus, I found some wine and I got my hair dyed. I'm not a redhead any more because I started swimming every day and red fades too quickly. Pictures forthcoming.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Musk Ox & Glaciers (May 2010) ~ Knitting Cruises
I'll be posting more about this soon, but my 2010 Alaska Knitting Cruise has been scheduled and they are already taking bookings. So check it out and sign up!
Come join Craft Cruises™ along with gifted knitting master Lucy Neatby and the author of "Arctic Lace - A book of patterns and stories of native Alaska knitters", Donna Druchunas on an Alaskan knitting cruise.
This Soutbound Alaska cruise allows you to explore Alaska's most beautiful scenic areas and Alaska's quaint ports of call. You will enjoy each port in this region and find treasures along the way. Meet local knitters, learn about the Qiviut industry in Alaska and about the fiber that is the undercoat of Musk Ox. This luxury fiber is spun and knit into intricate hand knit items of all sorts. Alaska has many local artisans making this a journey of traditional discovery.
Our Alaska adventure begins in Anchorage where we'll offer an optional four night fiber tour and visit to Denali National Park. A knitting trip to Alaska would not be complete without learning more about Qiviut and the role it plays in Inuit culture. Nor would it be complete without the inspiration of Alaska's most dramatic landscape, Mt. McKinley and Denali National Park.
Visiting the Oomingmak Cooperative and the Windy Valley Musk Ox Farm in Pamler will give us greater insight into an indigenous culture making a better world for themselves through fiber arts. The Alaskan knitters of rural coastal villages are knitting beautiful one-of-a-kind garments out of luxurious Qiviut. This luxury fiber is the undercoat of the arctic Muskox which lives in the tundra regions of the arctic. The undercoat of the Muskox and is prized for its softness, warmth and loft. It is nine times softer than wool and does not shrink or felt.
Only a limited number of cruise participants will be able to participate in our pre-cruise adventure so sign up today.
Cruising during the spring Bald Eagle migration along with the original Nautical Knitter and the author of "Arctic Lace" will make this an Alaskan knitting cruise to remember. Lucy Neatby is one of the most leading edge knitting instructors in the industry and Donna Druchunas is an expert lace knitter who will inspire you.
I'll be posting more about this soon, but my 2010 Alaska Knitting Cruise has been scheduled and they are already taking bookings. So check it out and sign up!
This Soutbound Alaska cruise allows you to explore Alaska's most beautiful scenic areas and Alaska's quaint ports of call. You will enjoy each port in this region and find treasures along the way. Meet local knitters, learn about the Qiviut industry in Alaska and about the fiber that is the undercoat of Musk Ox. This luxury fiber is spun and knit into intricate hand knit items of all sorts. Alaska has many local artisans making this a journey of traditional discovery.
Our Alaska adventure begins in Anchorage where we'll offer an optional four night fiber tour and visit to Denali National Park. A knitting trip to Alaska would not be complete without learning more about Qiviut and the role it plays in Inuit culture. Nor would it be complete without the inspiration of Alaska's most dramatic landscape, Mt. McKinley and Denali National Park.
Visiting the Oomingmak Cooperative and the Windy Valley Musk Ox Farm in Pamler will give us greater insight into an indigenous culture making a better world for themselves through fiber arts. The Alaskan knitters of rural coastal villages are knitting beautiful one-of-a-kind garments out of luxurious Qiviut. This luxury fiber is the undercoat of the arctic Muskox which lives in the tundra regions of the arctic. The undercoat of the Muskox and is prized for its softness, warmth and loft. It is nine times softer than wool and does not shrink or felt.
Only a limited number of cruise participants will be able to participate in our pre-cruise adventure so sign up today.
Cruising during the spring Bald Eagle migration along with the original Nautical Knitter and the author of "Arctic Lace" will make this an Alaskan knitting cruise to remember. Lucy Neatby is one of the most leading edge knitting instructors in the industry and Donna Druchunas is an expert lace knitter who will inspire you.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Whoops! I forgot to take my happy pill this morning! Just remedied that... I still mean this, but I don't feel like being crabby.
How to respond to the lie that health reform means "pulling the plug on grandma"
I've not been posting about politics lately. In part I have been avoiding the news because I'm happier when I do that. (I read some headlines to know what's going on, but I don't spend time digging in.) But also because I'm of the mind that people of differing political views can get along and be friends and that I don't want to use my blog as a soap box (even though I have done that intentionally in the past). But right now I can't help myself.
This morning I read that Republican-turned-Democratic Sen Arlen Specter (what a load of shit that is, huh?) says that 85% of Americans are quite satisfied with their health insurance and the we only need to work on a plan to cover the 15% that are uninsured.
That, quite frankly, is complete and utter bullshit.
85% of Americans may have some kind of insurance, but that in now way means we are satisfied or that our healthcare system in the US is not completely broken.
My husband and I both have health insurance, and we both work for small businesses. Over the past 5 years, our premiums have doubled, our co-pays have doubled, our deductibles have doubled, our drug costs have doubled, and our annual out-of-pocket has also increased. On top of that, the coverage is no longer fully paying for certain things, that happen to be expensive, such as MRIs or CT scans, which also happen to be very necessary if you might have a kidney stone or a crushed bone in your ankle.
So Dom and I, who are both fully covered with wonderful US medical insurance, are thousands of dollars in medical debt and I've had to set up a special personal savings account just to prepare for future medical bills because we are not getting any younger. My company doesn't even qualify for a pre-tax health savings plan unless we go on a super-shitty high deductible ($5000 or more) plan, and Dom got to put a whopping $1200 in his plan this year. That was gone in January.
Dom has carpal tunnel in both hands, tennis elbow in both arms, plantar fasciatis in both feet, horrible allergies, bloody noses all the time, and insomnia, and he doesn't want to go to the doctor any more because it will just cost more money.
So Arlen Specter -- and anyone else who is creating roadblocks to real health insurance reform -- can suck it. Let's see some of that Yes We Can! attitude that Obama was hollering about during the election. And if the Republican's won't play nice, let's kick them out of the game. Hell, let's kick them out of the entire league.
How to respond to the lie that health reform means "pulling the plug on grandma"
This morning I read that Republican-turned-Democratic Sen Arlen Specter (what a load of shit that is, huh?) says that 85% of Americans are quite satisfied with their health insurance and the we only need to work on a plan to cover the 15% that are uninsured.
That, quite frankly, is complete and utter bullshit.
85% of Americans may have some kind of insurance, but that in now way means we are satisfied or that our healthcare system in the US is not completely broken.
My husband and I both have health insurance, and we both work for small businesses. Over the past 5 years, our premiums have doubled, our co-pays have doubled, our deductibles have doubled, our drug costs have doubled, and our annual out-of-pocket has also increased. On top of that, the coverage is no longer fully paying for certain things, that happen to be expensive, such as MRIs or CT scans, which also happen to be very necessary if you might have a kidney stone or a crushed bone in your ankle.
So Dom and I, who are both fully covered with wonderful US medical insurance, are thousands of dollars in medical debt and I've had to set up a special personal savings account just to prepare for future medical bills because we are not getting any younger. My company doesn't even qualify for a pre-tax health savings plan unless we go on a super-shitty high deductible ($5000 or more) plan, and Dom got to put a whopping $1200 in his plan this year. That was gone in January.
Dom has carpal tunnel in both hands, tennis elbow in both arms, plantar fasciatis in both feet, horrible allergies, bloody noses all the time, and insomnia, and he doesn't want to go to the doctor any more because it will just cost more money.
So Arlen Specter -- and anyone else who is creating roadblocks to real health insurance reform -- can suck it. Let's see some of that Yes We Can! attitude that Obama was hollering about during the election. And if the Republican's won't play nice, let's kick them out of the game. Hell, let's kick them out of the entire league.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
My can't-get-back-into-the-groove brain is not allowing me to write anything just now, but I wanted to tell you about this film:
Handmade Nation
Official movie site.
Director's blog.
Here's a review:
Here's an interview with the director:
This is SO related to the quote I posted while in England about process. I've been writing a lot about that in my notebook. I definitely want to think and write more about this here and perhaps for publication elsewhere.
Thanks to Rosemary for the link.
Handmade Nation
In 2006, first-time filmmaker Faythe Levine traveled 19,000 miles to document what has emerged as a marriage between historical technique, punk culture, and the D.I.Y. ethos. Handmade Nation gives viewers an inside glimpse into the fascinating world of the indie craft community through interviews and footage of crafters in their natural habitats – work studios and craft fairs.
Official movie site.
Director's blog.
Here's a review:
The documentary provides an insider-perspective of the whimsical creations of these quirky artists in their inner-sanctum studios and cheerfully-crowded craft fairs. The film is a must see for every self-defined crafter, artist, designer, DIY—really anyone—interested in the overarching craft community. Although not a popcorn-and-date movie, Handmade Nation is entertaining in its own right due to the stories that are told by the crafters themselves, such as Stephanie Syjuco’s story about the DIY Network asking her to come on a show and talk about her counterfeit crocheted handbag project and how the lawyers were panicking over the legal implications. These stories aren’t present in the book that Levine co-authored with Cortney Heimerl [Ed. note: There's also a book of the same title, written by the director: Handmade Nation: The Rise of DIY, Art, Craft, and Design]; these are stories that came out directly from the crafters as they chatted with their interviewer. Although Levine never appears on camera, each of the interviews with Levine’s wide assortment of crafters are framed by statements from curator Yoko Ott, American Craft’s Andrew Wagner, and KnitKnit’s Sabrina Gschwandtner on the history of what craft meant, as well as its future.
Craft is Powerful. Craft is Personal. Craft is Political. Craft is Possible.
Here's an interview with the director:
Handmade News: Please tell us a little about your background. What made you want to make this documentary about the resurgence in DIY and craft?
Faythe Levine: I grew up in Seattle, Washington during the early 90’s. It was around this time that there was a lot going on with punk and riot grrrl, and this influenced me a great deal. Punk was my gateway to DIY.
The documentary was made out of my love and respect for a community I am a part of. I wanted to make sure to capture what was going on around me, which I felt was very important and life changing. It’s always an important time for consumers and makers to be thinking about where stuff comes from, how it’s made, who is making it. It’s very beneficial for the DIY community at this time, however, due to the marketability of Handmade being “green.”
This is SO related to the quote I posted while in England about process. I've been writing a lot about that in my notebook. I definitely want to think and write more about this here and perhaps for publication elsewhere.
Thanks to Rosemary for the link.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
It's almost that time of year, when I like to get a fresh start and get projects moving along, and dig in and get some work done. Undoubtedly my schedule is left over from when I was a student, and going a way for the summers lately simply reinforces this annual cycle. But the travel also makes the transition from summer to fall more difficult in some ways, because it's a double transition: getting used to being home again, and getting ready to ramp up on work.
This morning I was reading a bit about similar thoughts on Cynthia Morris's Journey Juju blog, when I stumbled upon (that's happening a lot lately, isn't it?) a new ebook that Cynthia will be releasing soon. She describes it a bit in the post:
I was thinking that I'd need to order a copy of this ebook when I got an email from Cynthia asking me if I'd like to be an early reader and give her some input based on my own homecoming experiences. Of course I said yes!
I wrote the short piece below while I was thinking about what I might find in Cynthia's ebook. It's rambling and unedited thoughts from my from my journal. But I think the thoughts are interesting. I hope to be spurred to think about these things more and to move gracefully into my autumn transition with the help of Cynthia's ebook.
The hardest part of coming home from a long trip for me is getting my mind to focus. On the trip, constant attention is necessary because I am in a strange environment, I am meeting new people, I am eating different foods. I am also often attending or teaching at a conference, or I am involved with some other external focus that forms a container for my time and attention.
When I get home, everything is wide open. Last year I felt the expanse physically - in the bloated size of roads and parking lots and stores and fields and mountains in the US West. This year I feel the expanse internally. Without the borders imposed upon me by my trip, I am not settling down into a cozy routine and I am not crossing things off my to do lists. I am thinking wildly and freely as if there were no walls.
But I have not felt the external agoraphobia I sensed when I came back to the US after previous trips to Europe. I am not depressed, either. I am floating freely in space, with no anchor. I know what I need to do, but I can't find the force to get it done. I don't feel the pressure of boundaries and deadlines, but I need to.
I remember last year after my trip, longing for a year off, just barely getting back into shape for fall. But it did happen. I feel the same way now but there are a few more weeks left before summer officially ends. So maybe I am on the same schedule.
Why do I need to return to US life as usual? Can't I keep my European life - with or without moving to Europe? Do I get less or more done there? And is that question even important? I feel like what I do there is deeper, the trip itself deepens my work. And that is something I don't lose by coming home. That is something that stays with me even if my schedule changes, even if I feel "normal" again after a while.
Still, what if I like the European Donna better? Can I be her here? Is that possible?
This morning I was reading a bit about similar thoughts on Cynthia Morris's Journey Juju blog, when I stumbled upon (that's happening a lot lately, isn't it?) a new ebook that Cynthia will be releasing soon. She describes it a bit in the post:
I’m putting the finishing touches on a new e-book: The Graceful Return. (Part of the finishing touches is a subtitle. I was always terrible with headlines in journalism school!) I plan to launch The Graceful Return in early September. If you’ve ever experienced a letdown after a trip or had a tough time getting back into your old shoes, this is the book for you. Watch for news of this resource for the journey soon.
I was thinking that I'd need to order a copy of this ebook when I got an email from Cynthia asking me if I'd like to be an early reader and give her some input based on my own homecoming experiences. Of course I said yes!
I wrote the short piece below while I was thinking about what I might find in Cynthia's ebook. It's rambling and unedited thoughts from my from my journal. But I think the thoughts are interesting. I hope to be spurred to think about these things more and to move gracefully into my autumn transition with the help of Cynthia's ebook.
The hardest part of coming home from a long trip for me is getting my mind to focus. On the trip, constant attention is necessary because I am in a strange environment, I am meeting new people, I am eating different foods. I am also often attending or teaching at a conference, or I am involved with some other external focus that forms a container for my time and attention.
When I get home, everything is wide open. Last year I felt the expanse physically - in the bloated size of roads and parking lots and stores and fields and mountains in the US West. This year I feel the expanse internally. Without the borders imposed upon me by my trip, I am not settling down into a cozy routine and I am not crossing things off my to do lists. I am thinking wildly and freely as if there were no walls.
But I have not felt the external agoraphobia I sensed when I came back to the US after previous trips to Europe. I am not depressed, either. I am floating freely in space, with no anchor. I know what I need to do, but I can't find the force to get it done. I don't feel the pressure of boundaries and deadlines, but I need to.
I remember last year after my trip, longing for a year off, just barely getting back into shape for fall. But it did happen. I feel the same way now but there are a few more weeks left before summer officially ends. So maybe I am on the same schedule.
Why do I need to return to US life as usual? Can't I keep my European life - with or without moving to Europe? Do I get less or more done there? And is that question even important? I feel like what I do there is deeper, the trip itself deepens my work. And that is something I don't lose by coming home. That is something that stays with me even if my schedule changes, even if I feel "normal" again after a while.
Still, what if I like the European Donna better? Can I be her here? Is that possible?
Saturday, August 15, 2009
According to Francine Prose, author of Reading Like a Writer, I don't know how to read.
Prose thinks readers should mature beyond falling into the text like Alice into the rabbit hole, and finding themselves immersed, utterly and completely, in a strange and foreign world. She thinks we should become "close" readers, reading not only for pleasure, but "more analytically, conscious of style, of diction, of how sentences were formed and information was being conveyed, how the writer was structuring a plot, creating characters, employing detail and dialog."
But I would not, under any circumstances, want to outgrow my naive or unprofessional reading style. I do not want to lose the magic. Does this mean I can't understand how or why one book works and another doesn't? I don't think so. Just as knowing that the stars are giant fireballs millions and billions of miles away in no way diminishes my awe at their beauty, but rather enlarges and enhances it.
A writer can have knowledge and enjoyment, and I don't think Prose would disagree. But I can't, and don't want to, step back and read with less emotional involvement. If it is more difficult for me to study the structure and the details of writing because the story fills my senses and captures my imagination, I am happy to work harder. I am willing to sacrifice the writing genius that might be bestowed upon me if I gave up my reading gift. But I do not believe that is necessary.
Prose thinks readers should mature beyond falling into the text like Alice into the rabbit hole, and finding themselves immersed, utterly and completely, in a strange and foreign world. She thinks we should become "close" readers, reading not only for pleasure, but "more analytically, conscious of style, of diction, of how sentences were formed and information was being conveyed, how the writer was structuring a plot, creating characters, employing detail and dialog."
But I would not, under any circumstances, want to outgrow my naive or unprofessional reading style. I do not want to lose the magic. Does this mean I can't understand how or why one book works and another doesn't? I don't think so. Just as knowing that the stars are giant fireballs millions and billions of miles away in no way diminishes my awe at their beauty, but rather enlarges and enhances it.
A writer can have knowledge and enjoyment, and I don't think Prose would disagree. But I can't, and don't want to, step back and read with less emotional involvement. If it is more difficult for me to study the structure and the details of writing because the story fills my senses and captures my imagination, I am happy to work harder. I am willing to sacrifice the writing genius that might be bestowed upon me if I gave up my reading gift. But I do not believe that is necessary.
Friday, August 14, 2009
...another book I won't be able to read! :-(
Belaruski narodny kastsium
Belarusian National Costume
by Malenka L.I.
Gotta love Google! This great site has books from all former Soviet Republics.
No, back to work on the Lithuanian book!
Belarusian National Costume
by Malenka L.I.
This monograph devoted to the Belarusian national costume is the result of thirty-year research work of the author - fashion designer and art theorist L.Malenka. The book contains works by Belarusian artists and materials of private collections and archives, which allows to trace the development of the Belarusian national costume since its origins up to the XXth century. The edition includes the list of abbreviations, bibliography and the glossary of terms.
Gotta love Google! This great site has books from all former Soviet Republics.
No, back to work on the Lithuanian book!
Recently I've acquired two books I can't read. Not even a tiny bit. But I love them both. And someday -- not any time in the near future -- I hope to be able to read one of them at least a little bit. Although I can read Lithuanian, when the subject matter is unusual or complex I still feel illiterate. So I'm also including one Lithuanian-language book in this post.
1) Baltic Folk Costumes Estonia Latvia Lithuania. This Russian-language almanac was compiled in the 1970s. It contains photos and drawings of historical clothing and accessories collected throughout the Baltic region during Soviet times. (Galina Khmeleva once told me that to thoroughly research Lithuanian knitting I would have to go to St. Petersburg because the Soviets collected -- some say stole -- artifacts from all over the USSR and put them in museums in what was then called Leningrad. When the Soviet Union dissolved, the items were not returned to their counties of origin.) Whatever you think about the Soviets and the way they (mis)treated the people in their sphere of influence, they did collect a lot of ethnographic information that is useful for anyone studying Eastern European textiles.
There are maps that go with the book, but I don't have those. I do, however, have photographs of the maps. Now I just need someone to help me translate the captions!
2) Belarusian Ornament, Weaving, Embroidery. This book is written in Belarusian (Byelarussian). It is not about knitting. My friend Olga bought this book for me in Minsk. She said that she talked to several people who told her that there is not much of a knitting tradition in Belarus, but embroidery, weaving and other textiles were prevalent in the past and are represented in the national costume and as embellishments on towels and other accessories. I particularly like these stylized icons of women that are used in many designs. Olga also told me that this book explains the meaning of many of the common symbols and designs used in embroidery and weaving. She's going to translate part of it for me, so someday I will know more! Here's some fascinating info in English for those who want to know more now.
3) In my research, I have not run across anyone in Lithuania who mentioned any kind of meanings to the patterns used in weaving, knitting, and embroidery. But I found an old book on eBay that talks about cosmological symbology in Lithuanian textile patterns. The book, Lietuvių Liaudies Kosmologija (Lithuanian Folk Cosmology), is in Lithuanian, so I can only partly understand what I'm reading.
The website Global Lithuanian Net has similar information in English:
The site also says:
The word raštas -- or actually plural, raštai -- is also used to describe knitting stitch patterns. I discovered this on my own, because most printed dictionaries only include the main definitions of words, and when there are multiple definitions the most common is not generally the meaning related to textiles. I saw a book called "mezgimo ir nėrimo raštai" on my first trip to Lithuania, and tried to figure out what it was about. The first words, "knitting and crochet" were easy enough to decipher, but raštai took a little creative thinking because my dictionary did not list "pattern" as one of the definitions. I'm not sure about the conclusion drawn about the patterns in sashes (and other woven, knitted, embroidered textiles) being the remnants of an ancient writing system, but the idea certainly is intriguing. I have no idea how one would go about researching such an idea.
Pirštinės su žvaigzdėmis (Mittens with Stars)
Marija Gimbutas also wrote about similar subjects, but it seems like her work has been discredited in the larger academic community. Without doing further research, I can't say whether or not I agree. I generally -- and tentatively -- align my opinion with the academic consensus until I have time to look into a topic in depth on my own. Still, her work is very interesting and thought provoking, and I don't think it should be ignored. In addition, according to Wikipedia and other sources, "Joseph Campbell ... compared the importance of Marija Gimbutas' output to the historical importance of the Rosetta Stone in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs. Campbell provided a foreword to a new edition of Gimbutas' The Language of the Goddess (1989) before he died, and often said how profoundly he regretted that her research on the Neolithic cultures of Europe had not been available when he was writing The Masks of God." That strengthens my own interest in her work.
Lithuanian folk lore is amazingly rich and interesting. These are topics I shall certainly continue to research further, but will likely only briefly discuss in the Lithuanian knitting book I am writing now. The textiles of Eastern Europe are also very rich and beautiful, although there are several countries with no large knitting tradition. I think I may expand the scope of my future interest and study to include other types of textiles because my interest in Eastern Europe runs deeper than knitting.
1) Baltic Folk Costumes Estonia Latvia Lithuania. This Russian-language almanac was compiled in the 1970s. It contains photos and drawings of historical clothing and accessories collected throughout the Baltic region during Soviet times. (Galina Khmeleva once told me that to thoroughly research Lithuanian knitting I would have to go to St. Petersburg because the Soviets collected -- some say stole -- artifacts from all over the USSR and put them in museums in what was then called Leningrad. When the Soviet Union dissolved, the items were not returned to their counties of origin.) Whatever you think about the Soviets and the way they (mis)treated the people in their sphere of influence, they did collect a lot of ethnographic information that is useful for anyone studying Eastern European textiles.
There are maps that go with the book, but I don't have those. I do, however, have photographs of the maps. Now I just need someone to help me translate the captions!
2) Belarusian Ornament, Weaving, Embroidery. This book is written in Belarusian (Byelarussian). It is not about knitting. My friend Olga bought this book for me in Minsk. She said that she talked to several people who told her that there is not much of a knitting tradition in Belarus, but embroidery, weaving and other textiles were prevalent in the past and are represented in the national costume and as embellishments on towels and other accessories. I particularly like these stylized icons of women that are used in many designs. Olga also told me that this book explains the meaning of many of the common symbols and designs used in embroidery and weaving. She's going to translate part of it for me, so someday I will know more! Here's some fascinating info in English for those who want to know more now.
The website Global Lithuanian Net has similar information in English:
Along with roofed poles, symbolic representation of the Sun, Moon, stars and other celestial phenomena can also be identified in folk-art artifacts of wood and crochet pieces... The same archetypes have ben preserved throughout millennia, which is confirmed by grave finds of amber, bronze and iron artifacts and also ornaments and crochet works used in the attire of the dead. In Fig. 8 the symbolic representation of some heavenly bodies and atmospheric phenomena is shown.
The site also says:
The sequence of symbols in a sash in Lithuanian is called "raštas". The same word is used to denote the idea of "writing". Therefore, the ornament of a sash can also be understood as the remains of a pictographic writing which might have been used long ago.
The word raštas -- or actually plural, raštai -- is also used to describe knitting stitch patterns. I discovered this on my own, because most printed dictionaries only include the main definitions of words, and when there are multiple definitions the most common is not generally the meaning related to textiles. I saw a book called "mezgimo ir nėrimo raštai" on my first trip to Lithuania, and tried to figure out what it was about. The first words, "knitting and crochet" were easy enough to decipher, but raštai took a little creative thinking because my dictionary did not list "pattern" as one of the definitions. I'm not sure about the conclusion drawn about the patterns in sashes (and other woven, knitted, embroidered textiles) being the remnants of an ancient writing system, but the idea certainly is intriguing. I have no idea how one would go about researching such an idea.
Pirštinės su žvaigzdėmis (Mittens with Stars)
Marija Gimbutas also wrote about similar subjects, but it seems like her work has been discredited in the larger academic community. Without doing further research, I can't say whether or not I agree. I generally -- and tentatively -- align my opinion with the academic consensus until I have time to look into a topic in depth on my own. Still, her work is very interesting and thought provoking, and I don't think it should be ignored. In addition, according to Wikipedia and other sources, "Joseph Campbell ... compared the importance of Marija Gimbutas' output to the historical importance of the Rosetta Stone in deciphering Egyptian hieroglyphs. Campbell provided a foreword to a new edition of Gimbutas' The Language of the Goddess (1989) before he died, and often said how profoundly he regretted that her research on the Neolithic cultures of Europe had not been available when he was writing The Masks of God." That strengthens my own interest in her work.
In the folk culture of Lithuania, for instance, that Gimbutas experienced as a child, the ancient songs, stories, dances, seasonal celebrations, communal rituals, sculptures, textile patterns, even architectural features are elements of a complex fabric of ancient beliefs arising from a deep respect for the natural world. She observed people kissing the earth in the morning and in the evening as though the earth was their actual mother. The life-giving, death-wielding, and regenerative powers of nature are venerated in zoomorphic and anthropomorphic forms. In the Baltic pantheon, Laima, the cosmic goddess of Fate, who controls the powers of creation, is a shape-shifter who can appear in human form, or as a bear, sacred tree or waterfowl. She can be touched as stone, or heard in the voice of the cuckoo. The Earth Mother Zemyna, related to seasonal awakening, creates life out of herself and represents justice and social conscience. The death goddess Giltine can appear as a slithering snake or can be seen in human form standing at the head of a dying person. Ragana, the death goddess who oversees regeneration, is a seer who sometimes appears as a snake or bird of prey. Vaizgantas, the male god of fertility, rises, dies and resurrects as the flax (Gimbutas 1999:213). Gimbutas’ early experience of these ancient beliefs within a still-living context informed her study of Old European symbolism.
--From The Iconography and Social Structure of Old Europe: The Archaeomythological Research of Marija Gimbutas by Joan Marler.
Lithuanian folk lore is amazingly rich and interesting. These are topics I shall certainly continue to research further, but will likely only briefly discuss in the Lithuanian knitting book I am writing now. The textiles of Eastern Europe are also very rich and beautiful, although there are several countries with no large knitting tradition. I think I may expand the scope of my future interest and study to include other types of textiles because my interest in Eastern Europe runs deeper than knitting.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
First the fear: bad poetry. I would read more poetry if I weren't terribly afraid of bad poetry. Good poetry: Things on Which I've Stumbled by Peter Cole. I love poetry for slow, leisurely, pleasure reading. A good poem is like a piece of decadent dessert or a glass of an expensive liqueur. It should be devoured slowly and sensuously. (A bad poem is like a McDonald's apple pie or a too-hot cup of bitter coffee that burns the taste buds off your tongue.)
Now the obsession: textiles! What else? Well, I have had, do have, and will have other obsessions in my life and I've written about some of them on this blog. But today we'll stick to textiles. And why? Because Peter Cole shares my obsession with historical textiles. The title poem in Things on Which I've Stumbled talks about natural dyes and fulling wool and weaving and more. I spoke with Cole and his wife about wool and sheep in Lithuania while we were in Vilnius for the Summer Literary Seminars. Human connections are so weird, and wonderful. Who would ever think I would go to Lithuania and meet a poet from Jerusalem who translates, among other things, medieval Hebrew poetry from Muslim and Christian Spain, and discover that we have common interests?
I do Google searches a lot. What better way to indulge obsessions? New things show up all the time, and sometimes not until you skim through to page 37. I don't think my searching and skimming is a waste of time because I consistently find things that interest me and that are related to my writing. Today I stumbled upon this: The Henry Art Gallery collection of Eastern European folk costume and textiles. I found this through semi-random searching related to medieval Spanish textiles and Eastern European costume.
Hungary; or Romania: Transylvania, Cluj, Kolozsvar (Cluj Napoca)
Outer garment (szur—man’s). Early to mid 20th century
Twill weave; Plain weave; Fulled; Appliqué; Braided, machine; Embroidered
Henry Art Gallery, Margaret J. Hord Collection, 2003.1-60
This jacket is part of a web exhibit called "Connections" -- which explores how "[c]ostume and textile traditions from around the world display cultural characteristics and cross-cultural influences that are often linked to circumstances of climate and geography."
Using modern technology to showcase the antique textiles, the exhibit "affords an opportunity to locate an object’s place of origin on a map, and to explore how climate, urbanization, terrain, and development of transportation networks play important roles in shaping costume and textile traditions."
I find the quality of antique hand-made items to be amazing, considering that we supposedly have more free time now, yet (in part because?) we buy mass-produced clothes and if we do participate in crafts, we generally do not make things of such exquisite detail or find quality. Textiles definitely contain rich material for writing. But as much as I love history and old textiles and ancient writings, I would not want to live in the past.
Sometimes it seems that everything is connected, doesn't it? I need to download Google earth to check this out. The gallery is in Washington state and you can bet your ass I'll be visiting there, too!
Stumbling and obsession are wondrous. I hope you will indulge in both.
Now the obsession: textiles! What else? Well, I have had, do have, and will have other obsessions in my life and I've written about some of them on this blog. But today we'll stick to textiles. And why? Because Peter Cole shares my obsession with historical textiles. The title poem in Things on Which I've Stumbled talks about natural dyes and fulling wool and weaving and more. I spoke with Cole and his wife about wool and sheep in Lithuania while we were in Vilnius for the Summer Literary Seminars. Human connections are so weird, and wonderful. Who would ever think I would go to Lithuania and meet a poet from Jerusalem who translates, among other things, medieval Hebrew poetry from Muslim and Christian Spain, and discover that we have common interests?
I do Google searches a lot. What better way to indulge obsessions? New things show up all the time, and sometimes not until you skim through to page 37. I don't think my searching and skimming is a waste of time because I consistently find things that interest me and that are related to my writing. Today I stumbled upon this: The Henry Art Gallery collection of Eastern European folk costume and textiles. I found this through semi-random searching related to medieval Spanish textiles and Eastern European costume.
Hungary; or Romania: Transylvania, Cluj, Kolozsvar (Cluj Napoca)
Outer garment (szur—man’s). Early to mid 20th century
Twill weave; Plain weave; Fulled; Appliqué; Braided, machine; Embroidered
Henry Art Gallery, Margaret J. Hord Collection, 2003.1-60
This jacket is part of a web exhibit called "Connections" -- which explores how "[c]ostume and textile traditions from around the world display cultural characteristics and cross-cultural influences that are often linked to circumstances of climate and geography."
Using modern technology to showcase the antique textiles, the exhibit "affords an opportunity to locate an object’s place of origin on a map, and to explore how climate, urbanization, terrain, and development of transportation networks play important roles in shaping costume and textile traditions."
I find the quality of antique hand-made items to be amazing, considering that we supposedly have more free time now, yet (in part because?) we buy mass-produced clothes and if we do participate in crafts, we generally do not make things of such exquisite detail or find quality. Textiles definitely contain rich material for writing. But as much as I love history and old textiles and ancient writings, I would not want to live in the past.
Sometimes it seems that everything is connected, doesn't it? I need to download Google earth to check this out. The gallery is in Washington state and you can bet your ass I'll be visiting there, too!
Stumbling and obsession are wondrous. I hope you will indulge in both.
Friday, August 07, 2009
Sorry, I was working on a blog post and it decided it wanted to be an essay. Got home Monday. Busy catching up with work. Not much jetlag. Will blog as the urge strikes... hope everyone is having fun at Sock Summit and that those who, like me, could not make it are not too awfully depressed.
Saturday, August 01, 2009
First knitting post in a long time!
Spent the day with Anna, a new knitting friend, shopping for yarn, then having a late lunch and coffee. Before we knew it, it was 5:00. A beautiful sunny afternoon with a cool breeze. What a perfect way to wind down from my trip!
The other day I test knitted a lovely Estonian stitch pattern for Anna. It's an unusual leaf type of design that was easy for me to memorize. Anna used it in a beautiful shawl. I'm going to have to find the perfect yarn to make one for myself later this year.
Here's what Anna says about the design on Ravelry. (She's writing the pattern, and I'll post a link and more photos when it's available.)
I did finish some gift knitting while I was in England, but didn't do much knitting at all while in Lithuania so I mailed my yarn and needles home with a few other things that didn't fit into my suitcase. (I also was worried that the European airport security might not let me carry on metal knitting needles for the flight home.)
Then, I went and bought more yarn!
At the first shop we visited, I bought 60 grams each of silvery-gray cashmere and white mohair, for a total of about $7. I am going to use them together to make a shawl. The tiny skein here shows what they look like when they are held together. At the second shop, I bought 150 grams of green linen laceweight yarn for about $4.50. I really should have bought black, because I recently gave away my favorite black shawl, but I can never resist this green color. So I will find some other black for a replacement shawl when I come home. I wanted to buy more more more, but I hate having a huge stash and I was still worried about the luggage.
Well, it squeezed it into a corner of the bag. I just hope I am not over the 8 kg allowance for carry-on baggage, because I will not have time to pick up and re-check bags when switching from Baltic to Continental in Copenhagen, and the two airlines do not have a baggage transfer agreement...
Wish me luck! One more day in Vilnius tomorrow. No plans except a farewell dinner with friends.
Spent the day with Anna, a new knitting friend, shopping for yarn, then having a late lunch and coffee. Before we knew it, it was 5:00. A beautiful sunny afternoon with a cool breeze. What a perfect way to wind down from my trip!
The other day I test knitted a lovely Estonian stitch pattern for Anna. It's an unusual leaf type of design that was easy for me to memorize. Anna used it in a beautiful shawl. I'm going to have to find the perfect yarn to make one for myself later this year.
Here's what Anna says about the design on Ravelry. (She's writing the pattern, and I'll post a link and more photos when it's available.)
Füüsal (juudikirss), or Physalis peruviana can be translated into English as ground cherry. Given the colour of the yarn, I quite agree. But the reason for such a name is the shape of the pattern.
I got this yarn from Inga. She is a great fan of Kid Classic and has made a lot of gorgeous shawls, cardigans etc with it. However, I could not figure out what to knit. The situation is somewhat crazy: everybody knows how nice and universal this yarn is but I simply cannot find anything that pleases me.
This idea of the pattern occurred to me quite suddenly. I think I had seen something similar (after all, we are reinventing and rediscovering well-known things). Anyway, I did a little experimenting and finally got what I wanted. I added some purl stitches to increase 3D-effect.
The shawl is quite long and warm. You never know Estonian summer:)
I did finish some gift knitting while I was in England, but didn't do much knitting at all while in Lithuania so I mailed my yarn and needles home with a few other things that didn't fit into my suitcase. (I also was worried that the European airport security might not let me carry on metal knitting needles for the flight home.)
Then, I went and bought more yarn!
At the first shop we visited, I bought 60 grams each of silvery-gray cashmere and white mohair, for a total of about $7. I am going to use them together to make a shawl. The tiny skein here shows what they look like when they are held together. At the second shop, I bought 150 grams of green linen laceweight yarn for about $4.50. I really should have bought black, because I recently gave away my favorite black shawl, but I can never resist this green color. So I will find some other black for a replacement shawl when I come home. I wanted to buy more more more, but I hate having a huge stash and I was still worried about the luggage.
Well, it squeezed it into a corner of the bag. I just hope I am not over the 8 kg allowance for carry-on baggage, because I will not have time to pick up and re-check bags when switching from Baltic to Continental in Copenhagen, and the two airlines do not have a baggage transfer agreement...
Wish me luck! One more day in Vilnius tomorrow. No plans except a farewell dinner with friends.
